The Season For A Little Hocus Pocus
by teenybirdy
Summary: It's Halloween and the season for a little Hocus Pocus. The Priestly-Sachs clan enjoy some family time with their favourite movies and Andy learns some startling truths about her favourite.


**Note:** If you haven't read The Magic of Love this can be read as a standalone, but it is a continuation of my Magic MirAndy series.

**Summary:** It's Halloween and the season for a little Hocus Pocus. The Priestly-Sachs clan enjoy some family time with their favourite movies and Andy learns some startling truths about her favourite.

**xxxxxxxxxx**

Getting used to being a fairy wasn't something Andy had quite gotten used to yet, but with Miranda and the twin's help, she was learning to control her newfound magic.

Her relationship with Miranda often still left her stunned, but since that night before her birthday the year before, they had become closer, if that was possible. The magic of their love was something that had brought them a daughter, and Calliope was thriving.

Now their first Halloween as a family was upon them and Miranda and the twins had asked her to keep her weekend free for their traditional movie marathon.

She had agreed to the request on the proviso she got to choose at least one of the movies.

To be fair, the Priestley's tastes in movies left her flummoxed at times. Miranda's taste was eclectic but she held a preference for film noir, Caroline loved nothing more than historical movies, while Cassidy preferred fantasy, which often included those in a magical setting.

Her pick for their movie night was Hocus Pocus, because frankly who didn't love a bit of Disney? Add Bette Midler to that and it was simply a recipe for success.

In her humble, opinion, Hocus Pocus was the best movie to watch on Halloween. They could cuddle up under warm, fleecy blankets with their daughters and eat popcorn and candy and simply enjoy their time together.

Andy remembered the moment she watched the movie at the theatre with her mom one warm July day. She had then pleaded with her parents to buy it for her once it was released on video and she had spent many an evening watching it and fell asleep to dreams of trick-or-treating in Salem, with talking cats, zombie ex-boyfriends and witches that cast spells as they sang gently to you to steal your very essence to make them young again.

She simply found the whole movie enchanting and couldn't wait to share her choice with her beautiful family.

She knew Halloween was a holiday most American's got behind. It was about having fun, dressing up and eating candy. What surprised her was that the Priestley's, with their magical abilities, did the same.

For her, it took her back to a childhood where her mom held her hand tightly as they knocked on their neighbour's doors together, with her dressed as a fairy, a witch, a mummy, Frankenstein, Dracula and, on one occasion, a pumpkin.

Andy decided to hunt the photographs out and show the twins. It would give them a good giggle, even if it was at her expense.

**~x~**

Miranda found she couldn't wait to get home. The Halloween weekend with her family had been the only thing that had gotten her through a week of pure incompetence.

She had been away for Paris Fashion Week earlier that month and had found the week intolerably long. Calliope had celebrated her first birthday the weekend before she had departed and her Bobbseys had used her time away to begin their little sister's magical education.

She had missed her daughters the week she was away, but more than that, she had missed her Andréa's soothing presence.

Upon her return to New York, she had collided most spectacularly with her fiancée, as their daughters weaved their magic to throw the younger woman into her arms.

It had been an absurd moment, her hands full of Andréa's breasts as she caught and then steadied the younger woman. She'd caught the small tsk of her mother and her father's low laughter as she tried to decide what best to do with her hands. Cupping Andréa's breasts, in front of her parents, was in no way ideal, no matter how good they felt.

The way her life had changed for the better, often left her overwhelmed and she found herself reflecting on her good fortune. She often asked herself how she had become so lucky.

She had spent that week finalising the November issue, and it would be another success, of that she was certain.

Entering the townhouse, she wasn't surprised when Calliope ran down the foyer towards her. As soon as the toddler had found her feet two months before, she moved at lightning speeds. She had yet to speak, but her magic allowed her to communicate with them, she projected images telling them what she wanted or needed, and on rare occasions, used her magic bring her what she wanted, including the cookie jar.

They'd learned to be proactive in not keeping too many sweet snacks in the house. Like her Andréa, Calliope had a sweet tooth and the last thing they wanted for their youngest was a mouth full of caries.

Miranda caught the image of the child in her arms. She wanted up. Bending, she swept the giggling child in her arms and smothered the toddler with kisses, leaving faint lipstick trails on her cheeks.

"I love you, you are the light of my life," Miranda spoke gently as the little girl placed her head in the crook of her neck and sighed. The bright magic that surrounded them, left Miranda warm.

She looked up at the flicker of movement in the corner of her eyes and seeing Andréa, with her elder daughters wound around her sides, had her smile widening. Holding out her free arm, they all rushed forward and she found herself at the centre of a large family hug.

She realised this was exactly what made her life worthwhile.

**~x~**

Over dinner, the Priestly discussed their movie choices. Cassidy's choice was The Craft or Practical Magic, Caroline's was the Interview with a Vampire or Bram Stoker's Dracula, while Miranda's firm choice was The Exorcist or the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Andy was pushed to choose a second movie and bit her lip as she wracked her brain before grinning. "Beetlejuice." She stated with a grin.

"Lame," Cassidy yelled across the table.

"That's not scary, Andy," Caroline smirked.

"Hey, Halloween doesn't have to be scary, okay?" Andy told them all. "There's enough horror in the world without watching screaming possessions and acts of dark magic."

"You're just jealous because you can't do dark magic." Cassidy grinned.

"And you can, I suppose?" Andy grinned. She knew the Priestley's generally only used their magic for good.

"We could if I wanted to." Caroline stuck up for her sister. "We once turned Mr Ravitz into a toad."

Andy couldn't stop her snort of laughter at the imagery. She wiped her mouth and continued to guffaw. "I wish I'd been around to see that."

"Enough," Miranda stated. "There will be no talk of dark magic at the dinner table." She smirked. "Although turning Irving into a toad was for the greater good. He was being rather rude at the time."

"All we wanted was for him to unwrap our Halloween candy." Cassidy pouted. "He's an ogre."

Caroline glanced at Andy; her eyebrows raised. "You still haven't told us your first choice of movie." She prodded.

"It's a surprise. You'll find out after we've put Callie to bed." Andy's lips quirked up into a bright smile. "I thought before then I could show you some photos of me in my many Halloween costumes."

"That would be an acceptable way to spend part of the evening." Miranda smiled. "I should find our Halloween albums too."

Cassidy and Caroline groaned as Callie giggled and projected an image of her with whiskers and little ginger ears.

Andy frowned feeling a little disappointed that her surprise was spoiled. "That was a secret, Callie." She told the toddler softly.

Callie offered Andy a bright smile and blew her a kiss and she found she couldn't remain disappointed that the secret was out.

"You are a pest." Andy sighed as she stood and lifted her daughter from her highchair. "But Mama loves you."

"Mam-Mam" Callie offered her a sloppy kiss and squealed before kicking her feet to be let down. As soon as the toddler was on her feet, she ran to Miranda and she was lifted onto her lap. "Mom-Mom." She clapped her hands sending a shower of sparks over the table. "Bob-Bob."

Miranda looked stunned. She looked down at her daughter as if it was the first time, she had seen her. Her surprised smile was breath-taking and Andy found that she couldn't stifle her own. "Well, this is a new development." Miranda's eyes glinted with tears.

"I've been trying." Andy bit her lip. "I wanted her to greet you properly."

"I believe mom-mom, is very much acceptable. However, Bob-Bob is not."

Andy placed a hand on Cassidy's shoulder and smiled. "Who's this, Callie?"

Callie scrunched her face up before smiling proudly. "Cas." She declared.

"And this?" Andy's hand encompassed Caroline's thin shoulder.

"Car." Callie's smile brightened. "Bob-Bob." She giggled happily.

"That's right. They're Mommy's Bobbsey's." Andy stated with a soft smile. "You're such a clever girl." She knelt beside Miranda and Callie and prodded the toddler in her stomach causing her to laugh wildly. "Who's that?" She asked.

"Cal, pes, wite," Callie exclaimed.

Miranda wore a small smirk and Andy saw the pleasure in her eyes.

"That's right. Callie is Mama's pest, but light of mommy's life."

"Pat wuff, Shi mow." It seemed as if Callie wouldn't stop now, she had found her voice.

Miranda sat wide-eyed staring between her and their daughter. "Oh dear, it seems our daughter takes after you, my darling. I wonder if there's a spell to stop incessant babbling?"

"If there was, I'm sure you'd have used it long before now, sweetheart." Andy sat back on her heels and grinned. "I know you love it."

"Well, we'll see. Just wait until she learns how to say no." Miranda smirked.

"No-no-no, yeah." Callie made to clap again and Miranda only just stopped the shower of magic from escaping from between her youngest daughter's palms.

**~x~**

Sitting in the family room, the twins curled up on either side of Andréa as she fed Calliope her nightly bottle. There was plenty of giggles over the photographs of Andréa as a child, up through her teens and early twenties. Occasionally one of her Bobbsey's jumped up to show her what they were giggling over.

Miranda was amused at the stories Andréa told of her childhood and she looked particularly fetching dressed in a little fairy outfit, her pointy little ears adding a touch of authenticity to the costume.

What struck her the most was how Elizabeth Sachs looked upon her adopted daughter as if she was the moon and stars. It was clear the woman loved her daughter very much and her proud smiles lit up her face. It was the same for Richard Sachs, he stood proudly in photographs, with the small curly-haired fairy child in his arms, grinning down into her face.

Andréa had spoken briefly of her adopted family over the years, and always with a touch of sadness. Their disapproval of her during the time she worked at Runway, and then after she had left, had hurt her, and yet she would not have a word said against them.

Her birth family, however, she cursed quite frequently. Andréa and the twins paternal grandmother, Natala, had continued to express the sentiments that Calliope was a dangerous entity, because she was an unknown, and it was once again, when Andréa showed her wings and her magic flickered from the tips of her fingers, that the woman had backed away, with warnings she would be watching the family.

At the time Natala offered her warnings, Calliope had screamed like a banshee and her magic caused the lights to flicker and random electrical appliances to turn on. She was usually such a happy child, she was just as puckish as her older sisters had been at her age, but she certainly was not evil.

Like Andréa, she seemed to need to watch things grow, she loved nature and the various plants around their home flourished around her. Their favourite thing was to spend time in the garden and watch as Calliope coaxed the flowers to life. It was simply stunning to watch both Andréa and Calliope working together to make their garden beautiful. Their neighbours had even complimented her on the flower boxes outside the front of the house, the bright colours capturing people's attention.

Miranda loved her little family and for the first time in her life, she was taking the time to be present. She needed them like she needed air. She needed to be surrounded by their love.

As Cassidy stepped to her side, holding out another photo, she couldn't stop her small gasp at the sight of Andréa, dressed head to toe in a leather jumpsuit, small black pointy ears on either side of her head and a long black tail draped over her arm.

"Mam-mam, mow," Callie muttered sleepily, her eyes falling closed and she lost her battle with sleep.

Miranda arched an eyebrow and glanced at her future wife, watching as she blushed furiously. She gestured for Cassidy and Caroline. "I believe it's time to prepare the popcorn, Bobbsey's." She told them.

The twins charged from the room and Miranda let out a loud breath before looking at Andréa. "Do you still have that costume?"

"Uh, somewhere, yeah." Andréa stuttered.

"Mm, good." Miranda's smile was devilish. "You will wear it for me." She knew Andréa's understood it wasn't a request.

Standing, she moved from the room, her hips swaying provocatively as she carried her daughter up to her room.

**~x~**

The movies started in earnest once Callie was in bed, with them watching Rocky Horror Picture Show. They all sang along to the music and Miranda spoke Frankenfurter's lines, causing much laughter from Andy.

Once the movie was over, the Priestley's looked at her expectantly and she smiled as she pulled a DVD of Hocus Pocus from a bag.

Cassidy's grinned, while Miranda and Caroline groaned but said nothing.

Andy put the DVD in the player and started the movie. Cassidy curled up into her side and between them, finished a bowl of popcorn.

They watched almost enraptured as the three witches were introduced and eventually turned Thackery Binks into a cat after he insulted Winnifred Sanderson.

As a cat, Thackery would have to live out eternity with the guilt of not being able to save his little sister and the legend stated he had made it his mission to stop the curse that would bring the three witches back to life by a virgin lighting the Black Flame Candle on All Hallows Eve.

Andy's laughter as they watched the Sanderson sisters try to navigate modern times, becoming horrified that Halloween had become such a holiday, had Miranda smiling softly at her and her return smile was bright.

Andy once again found herself rooting for Binx, Max, Alison and Dani as they tried to foil the witches plans to suck the lives out of all the children in Salam so they could survive the dawn.

By the end of the movie, Caroline was snoring softly and Miranda was fidgeting and when Winnie's spell book opened its eye, revealing it was still very much alive, Andy sighed happily.

"I always hoped there would be a sequel," Andy stated as she stretched her legs.

"The Sanderson's gave witches a bad name." Miranda's tone was adamant.

"What?" Andy was flabbergasted but glancing at Miranda saw her lips purse and thought the editor was joking. She laughed loudly. "It's just a movie."

"I stand by what I say. They were ridiculous." Miranda stated firmly.

Andy realised she wasn't being teased. "What the fuck?"

"Language, my darling." Miranda chastised softly.

"They were real?" Andy sat back and rubbed her eyes before glancing at Miranda again, looking for some sign her leg was being pulled. "No fucking way." She breathed as Miranda's face remained impassive.

"There is some truth to every tale, Andréa. Those three..." Miranda stalled and exhaled deeply. "...well, I never thought I'd say such a thing, but they got what they deserved. If they had just used their magic for good, they would not have ended up in the fire."

"So, they weren't hanged?" Andy asked breathlessly. Everything she'd ever assumed had just spun on its head.

"Burned at the stake, I'm afraid, during the first wave of witch hunts. There was simply no coming back from that, regardless of what this movie depicts." Miranda sat beside her and placed a hand on her knee. "Sarah was a whore, Mary was a simpleton, but Winifred was what you would now class as a sociopath. She blended into society rather well and held a strong bond with her sisters but she had very little regard for the crimes she committed and the pain she caused."

"Oh wow." Andy breathed as Caroline stirred and Cassidy yawned.

"Bobbsey's, I believe it is time for bed," Miranda stated, seeing Caroline open one eye and frown up at them. "We shall finish our movie marathon tomorrow before we go trick or treating. It seems Calliope and Andréa will both be dressed as cats."

"Dressed as..." Andy sputtered. "...no way."

Miranda leaned in, her warm breath tickling Andy's ear. "Yes, way." She sat back and smirked, pleased to see the disbelief etched in Andy's eyes.

Andy knew she would do as Miranda asked. The older woman, even without her magic, was far too compelling to resist. She sighed and did the only thing she could. She agreed. "Yes, Miranda."

**fin**


End file.
